My Taste Bud Tour
Written by Rob Abramenko Thursday, 27 May 2010 08:41
There is no love sincerer than the love of food. ~ George Bernard Shaw. Old Georgie hit it on the head! When it comes to my love of food...well there are no boundaries. In today's blog, I run down my food adventures south of the border including my hunt for the Colonel's Double Down sandwich. But more importantly if you are taking a trip thru to Washington and Oregon states...I have 5 food stops you must check out. These places are known for being eclectic bordering on the bizarre...but trust me you will get a kick out of them!
MY TASTE BUD TOUR OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST- or how to get really fat in 5 days.
So last week I told you I was going to go on a quick holiday down south in search of the Colonel's Double Down Sandwich (see previous blog for description). I found it...its huge...tastes great...but makes you feel bad. LOL...I know not a great description, but its one of those things that makes you feel gross...gluttony objectified. However I did find some better places to spend my money and would like to run down my top 5 places I tried out this past week. DISCLAIMER - these are not expensive places...this is not fine dining but unique dining with exceptional food. Some of these places...you will right out hate...but you will remember them. I personally think they are awesome!! Oh and by the way...I am breaking a family rule and giving up a few of the Abramenko secret stops...so I hope you appreciate them. Lets start off with home of what I call `King of The Donuts`.
Voodoo Doughnut - Portland, Oregon
Wow, what can I say about this place. Tucked away in a back corner of Portland, Oregon. Out of all the stops...maybe the most bizarre. First off the place looks like an abandoned building painted pink, with old grills and arcade video games sitting out in the parking lot. Very bohemian and a little bit scary. Inside 20 pictures of Kenny Rogers adorn the walls as well as kids art & old posters of Jimmy Hendrix. The King of All Donuts is the one pictured above, the Bacon Maple Bar. Its awesome, sweet and salty. Love it! But you can also find the Texas Challenge a monster donut that is the size of six donuts. If you eat it in 80 second or less you get it for free. They even have Vegan Donuts. If you are in the city, check it out. CLICK HERE to check out their website.
Por Que No - Portland, Oregon
Located on trendy Mississippi Avenue, this little hole in the wall establishment is a very cool & unique restaurant.
Though PN food is not necessarily "authentic" Mexican fare, it IS so delicious. I tried the Brian's bowl, a simple mixture of grilled chicken, rice, beans, and guacamole, served with either chips or tortillas. Really, really fantastic. So simple, yet so much flavor packed into the little bowl. Expect a line-up as its well spoken of in the local area. Staff was really friendly...but again very bohemian. Don`t expect to be waited on in fact the rule of the restaurant is you bus your own table after you are finished. But the home-made nachos and tacos are worth the drive. CLICK HERE to check out their website.
Mo`s Restaurant - Cannon Beach, Oregon
Location, location, location. This place is a bit of a family secret. We have been going to Mo`s for over a decade. Although from the outside it doesn`t look like much...nothing is better than eating fresh seafood on the ocean and looking out at
Haystack Rock looming in the distance. ...The Goonies, anyone? A simple basket of fish and chips (cod), a cold beverage and an incredible view. Inside the restaurant, they have your usual seafood restaurant decor, with fishing nets and bouys and all that stuff and sort of what I describe as cafeteria seating. But it will leave an impression on you for sure. Love it. CLICK HERE to check out their website.
Wet Dog Cafe - Astoria, Oregon
Another family favourite. The Wet Dog is the perfect family holiday restaurant. Even though, its really a burger & beer joint. It has a great kids menu, and a totally unique and fun atmosphere that the whole family will enjoy. Its located in the wharf district of Astoria bordering the Oregon-Washington state line. Its a beautiful located looking out onto the harbour. They have a huge selection of micro brew beers including their own that they brew on site. The portions are HUUUUGE. See that picture...that's me. I look distressed because I tried something no one should ever do. I ate at Mo`s at around noon and then tried to eat that burger about three hours later. It was too much. CLICK HERE to check out their site.
Red Mill Burgers - Seattle, Washington
It was my first time to this little burger joint. I had heard amazing things about this place. Oprah says its one of the `20 Hamburgers You Must Eat Before You Die`. And guess what She`s right. Awesome, awesome awesome burgers. Place is always packed...in fact expect huge line-ups and expect to eat your food in the car. The onions rings are huge, the burgers come with a smokey sauce and the real ice cream milkshakes are phenomenal. In fact the burgers don`t look like much, they are not that big but...wow...something about them. Most of the locals say you haven`t really visited Seattle until you have had a Red Mill Burger. Make sure you stop at this place oh and try the Bleu Cheese N' Bacon Burger. CLICK HERE for their website.
PICTURE OF THE DAY - Make sure you click on the pic to enlarge it. THE BACON MAPLE BAR!
